2020_B2C_Research_Final

CONTENT MARKETING
2020
Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends
TABLE OF CONTENTS SUCCESS &
m MATURITY.............................................................6 m
WELCOME............................................................................... STRATEGY, OPINIONS &
.3 m KEY TECHNOLOGY....................................9 m TEAM STRUCTURE
FINDINGS .........................................................................4 m & OUTSOURCING.....................................13 m CONTENT

CREATION & DISTRIBUTION..................................18 m SURVEY TERM DEFINITIONS
Content Marketing: A strategic marketing approach focused on

METRICS & creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to
attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive
GOALS.................................................................27 m profitable customer action.
Success: Achieving your organization’s desired/ targeted results.

BUDGET &
PRIORITIES .........................................................32 m NOTE

Use caution if making comparisons with past years. The survey
METHODOLOGY..................................................................... methodology changed beginning with our 2019 version of this report,
when we began asking respondents to confirm their content marketing
role and whether their organization has used content marketing for at
36 m least one year.
ABOUT...................................................................................
37
2
WELCOME marketing. We hope you find this information useful as you plan
for a prosperous 2020!
W elcome to B2C Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks,

Ann Handley
Budgets,
Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs
and Trends. In this report, we show you how B2C respondents
replied to our 10th annual content marketing survey. Stephanie Stahl
General Manager, CMI
B2C marketers are doing a lot of things right. According to theRobert Rose
survey, they’re using content marketing successfully to create Chief Strategy Advisor, CMI
brand awareness, educate audiences, build credibility/trust,
Kim Moutsos
generate demand/leads, and more. Social media, email, blogs,
VP Content, CMI
and in-person events have been the highest-performing
content types for their companies for building awareness and Cathy McPhillips
securing, nurturing, and converting leads. VP Marketing, CMI
Lisa Murton Beets

However, the most successful B2C marketers in the future will Research Director/Report Author, CMI
likely be those who focus on deeper parts of the customer
journey, for example using content marketing to build loyal, Joseph “JK” Kalinowski Creative Director, CMI
subscribed audiences and generate sales/revenue.
Nancy Reese
Research Consultant
Read on for more insights into the current state of B2C content
3
KEY FINDINGS content type for securing Conversions, content top organic and paid
and nurturing leads, and a quality/quantity, and social media platform
Most B2C content close second for audience expansion B2C
converting leads. For in 2020 marketers use, and the
marketers are
building brand awareness, one they say generates
reporting success blog posts/articles and the best content
When presented with a list
social media content tied of seven possible content marketing results for their
Three out of four B2C
for first. See page 23. marketing priorities organization. See page 26.
marketers characterize
their organization as for 2020 and asked to
extremely, very, or select their top three, Half agree they provide
moderately The majority outsource respondents indicated optimal experiences
successful with content at least one content improve quality/conversion
across the customer
marketing and say they marketing activity, of audiences (50%), focus
journey
are much/somewhat more with content creation on content quality/quantity
successful compared with being the most likely (50%), and increase the
54% agree their
one year ago. See page 7. size of our audiences
(40%). See page 35. organization provides
Among the 55% of customers with optimal
They rely heavily respondents who experiences across their
on email outsource, 80% outsource engagement journey.
content creation, with Facebook reigns Another 20% neither agree
Respondents rated email content distribution a far nor disagree, while 26%
newsletters as their second (37%). See pages Facebook is both the disagree. See page 11.
highest performing 16 and 17.
4
KEY FINDINGS
As shown here, B2C companies in the sophisticated/mature phase of content marketing maturity (see page 8) report higher
levels of content marketing success when compared with all respondents. The chart also shows a few other key differences.
The widest observed gap is among those who agree their organization provides customers with optimal experiences across
the engagement journey.
Differences Between B2C Marketers by Organization’s Content Marketing Maturity Level

All Respondents Sophisticated/
Mature
Organization is extremely/very successful with content marketing 29% 52%
Has a documented content marketing strategy 33% 53%
Uses metrics to measure content performance 78% 93%
Always/frequently:
Crafts content based on specific stages of the customer journey 50% 69%
Prioritizes audience’s informational needs over organization’s sales/promotional message 60% 73%
Strongly/somewhat agrees:
Organization prioritizes delivering relevant content when and where a person is most likely to see 74% 84%
it
Organization provides customers with optimal experiences across the engagement journey 54% 70%
Base: B2C content marketers.

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
5
SUCCESS & MATURITY
6
SUCCESS & MATURITY
Three out of four B2C marketers report their organization is extremely, very, or
moderately successful with content marketing.
How B2C Marketers Rate Their Organization’s 1%

5%
Overall Level of Content Marketing Success
24% 3% 2%
24%■ Extremely Successful
■
Very Successful
■
Moderately Successful
22% 22% Much More Successful
■
■
Minimally Successful ■
Somewhat More Successful
How B2C Marketers Rate Their Organization’s ■
About the Same
Content Marketing Success Compared With
One Year Ago
46% Base: B2C content marketers; aided list.
51% Somewhat Less Successful ■ Much Less
■
■
Not At All Successful
Successful
2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs Note: The survey Base: B2C content marketers; aided list.
defined success as achieving your organization’s desired/targeted results.
7
SUCCESS & MATURITY
39% of B2C marketers say their organization is in the sophisticated/mature phase of content
marketing maturity.
How B2C Marketers Rate Their ■
Mature
Organization’s Content Marketing SOPHISTICATED
Maturity Level Providing accurate measurement to the business, scaling across the
organization
1%
7% MATURE
10%
Finding success, yet challenged with integration across the organization
■
Sophisticated
24%
■
Adolescent ■ Young measurement and scaling
29% 29% ■
First Steps ■ Unsure YOUNG
ADOLESCENT Growing pains, challenged with creating a cohesive
Have developed a business case, seeing early strategy and a measurement plan
success, becoming more sophisticated with
Base: B2C content marketers; aided list. FIRST STEPS
2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs make content marketing a process
Doing some aspects of content, but have not yet begun to
STRATEGY, OPINIONS
& TECHNOLOGY
9
STRATEGY, OPINIONS & TECHNOLOGY
71% of B2C marketers have a content marketing strategy—of those, 33% have documented it.
Percentage of B2C Marketers

With a Content Marketing Strategy
9%
■
Yes, and it is documented
Base: B2C content marketers; aided list.
20% 33% 38% Yes, but it is not documented ■ No, but plan to within 12
■
months ■ No, with no plans

10
About half (54%) agree their organization provides customers with optimal experiences across
their engagement journey.
B2C Marketers’ Opinions About Content Marketing in Their

Organization (Strongly/Somewhat Agree)
Our audience views our organization as 81%

a credible and trusted resource
Our organization values creativity and 78%

craft in content creation and production
Our organization prioritizes delivering relevant content when and where a person 74%
is most likely to see it
Our organization provides customers with optimal experiences across their

engagement journey
54%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Base: B2C content marketers who answered each statement.

11
The top three technologies B2C marketers use to assist with content marketing are social
media publishing/analytics (84%), analytics tools (83%), and email marketing software (72%).
Technologies B2C Organizations 84% System (CMS)
Use to Assist With Content 83% 51%

Marketing 72% 49%
Other technologies used: Content 48%
Distribution Platform (39%); Content
(Top 6)
Optimization (33%); Marketing 0 20 40 60 80 100
Social Media Publishing/Analytics Automation System (MAS) (30%); (26%); Digital Asset
Analytics Tools (e.g., web analytics, dashboards) Content Performance/ Management (DAM) System (23%); and
Email Marketing Software Recommendation Analytics Integrated Content Marketing Platform
Content Creation/Collaboration/Workflow Customer
(9%).
Relationship Management (CRM) System Content Management
Base: B2C content marketers whose organization uses one or more of the technologies listed to assist with content marketing. Aided list; multiple responses
permitted. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
12
TEAM STRUCTURE
& OUTSOURCING
13
TEAM STRUCTURE & OUTSOURCING
Across B2C organizations of different sizes, the most common reported structure is a
small (or one-person) marketing/content marketing team serving the entire
organization.
B2C Organizations’ Content Marketing Team Structure
All Respondents 1-99 Employees 100+ Employees
We have a centralized content marketing group that works with 18% 11% 24%
multiple brands/products/departments throughout the
organization
Each brand/product/department has its own content marketing team 7% 7% 7%
Both—We have a centralized group and individual teams 20% 6% 31%

throughout the organization
We have a small (or one-person) marketing/content marketing 50% 69% 35%

team serving the entire organization
Other 4% 6% 3%

14
Among all B2C respondents, 52% say their organization has two or more internal team
members who are full-time/dedicated to content marketing, although this varies by company
size; another one-third have no full-time/dedicated people.
B2C Organizations’ Content Marketing Team Size
(Full-Time/Dedicated to Content Marketing)
11+ 3% 0% 5%
6-10 7% 4% 10%
2-5 42% 39% 44%
1 21% 25% 18%
0 (no one is full-time, 27% 33% 23%

dedicated)

15
55% of B2C marketers outsource content marketing; larger organizations (100+ employees)
are more likely than smaller ones to outsource.
Does Your B2C Organization Outsource Any Content Marketing Activities?
Yes 55% 43% 65%
No 45% 57% 35%
Base: B2C content marketers.

16
Content creation is the activity B2C marketers are most likely to outsource
(80%). Content Marketing Activities B2C Organizations Outsource

Content Creation Content Distribution Content Technology 14%
Content StrategyEditorial Planning Measurement 14%
Other 20%
80%
0 20 40 60 80 100
37%
27% Base: B2C content marketers whose organization outsources at least one content marketing activity. Aided list;
multiple responses permitted. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
16%
17
CONTENT CREATION
& DISTRIBUTION
18
CONTENT CREATION & DISTRIBUTION
Most B2C marketers (86%) fact check their content to ensure accuracy and three out of five (60%)
prioritize the audience’s informational needs over their sales/promotional message. Half (50%)
craft content based on specific stages of the customer journey.
Concepts B2C Marketers Always/Frequently Take Into Account

While Creating Content for Their Organization
Fact check our content to ensure accuracy 50%

Prioritize the audience’s informational needs over our sales/promotional message
Craft content based on specific stages of the customer journey 0 20 40 60 80 100
86% Base: B2C content marketers who answered each concept.

60%
19
On average, B2C marketers create content for four different audiences.
Number of Different Audiences

B2C Marketers Create Content For
5%
41% 6+ ■ 4-5 ■ 2-3 ■ 1

Base: B2C content marketers; aided list. ■
28% 26%
20
B2C marketers say 43% of the content they create is for audiences in the top-of–the-funnel
stage of the customer journey, compared to a combined 30% for the late- and post-sale stages.
Percentage of Total Content B2C Marketers

Created for Content Marketing Purposes
in Last 12 Months
7%
12%■ Top-of-the-funnel
(generating awareness/interest)
43% 20%
■
Mid-funnel (consideration/intent) ■ Late-stage
18%
(evaluation/purchase) ■ Post-sale (loyalty/brand advocacy) ■
Other areas
Base: B2C content marketers who answered the question; aided list. Percentages were required to equal
100%. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
21
The top types of content B2C marketers use are social media content (94%) and blog
posts/short articles (80%).
Content Types B2C Marketers Used Other content types used in last 12 66%
in Last 12 Months (Top 6) months: Long-Form Text (e.g., articles 54%
3,000+ words) (28%); Webinars/Online 50%

Social Media Content (e.g., tweets, stories)
Events (27%); Ebooks/Guides (27%); 0 20 40 60 80 100
Blog Posts/Short Articles
Email Newsletters
Print Magazines (25%); Case Studies
Videos (excluding livestreaming)
(20%); Research Reports (18%); White
Infographics/Charts/Photos/Data Viz In-Person Events (e.g., live
Papers (17%); Podcasts (15%);
94% events, conferences)
Livestreaming Content (13%); Print Books
80% 74%
(10%); and Other (18%). Base: B2C content marketers. Aided list; multiple responses permitted. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
22
We asked respondents which content types are the highest performing for their B2C organization for
building brand awareness, securing leads, nurturing leads, and converting leads. Their top
responses in each category are shown here.
TO BUILD BRAND TO SECURE In-Person Events (e.g., live tweets, stories) (17%)
AWARENESS LEADS events, conferences) (13%) TO CONVERT
TO NURTURE LEADS
Blog Posts/Short Articles Email Newsletters (16%) LEADS
(31%) In-Person Events (e.g., live
Social Media Content (e.g., Email Newsletters (24%) events, conferences) (22%)
Social Media Content tweets, stories) (13%)
(e.g., tweets, stories) (31%) Social Media Content (e.g., Email Newsletters (21%)
Base: B2C content marketers whose organization used more than one content type for content marketing purposes in the last 12 months;
aided list. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
23
The top three organic/nonpaid content distribution channels B2C marketers use are social
media platforms (93%), their organization’s website/blog (85%), and email (79%).
Organic Content Distribution Channels B2C Marketers

Used in Last 12 Months
Social Media Platforms 85%

Their Organization’s Website/Blog 79%
Email 39%
Media/Influencer Relations 37%
Speaking/Events 31%
Guest Posts/Articles in Third-Party Publications Other 11%
93%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Base: B2C content marketers. Aided list; multiple responses permitted. 2020 B2C
Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
24
85% of B2C marketers use paid distribution channels for content marketing purposes; of that
group, 89% use paid social media/promoted posts.
Did Your B2C Organization Use Any

Paid Content Distribution Channels
in the Last 12 Months? Paid Content Distribution Channels
B2C Marketers Used in Last 12 Months
15% 89%
Social Media Advertising/Promoted Posts
■
Yes Search Engine Marketing (SEM)/
85%
Base: B2C content marketers. Sponsorships 50%
(e.g., booths, workshops, branding)
■
No Native Advertising/Sponsored Content (not including 44%
social media platforms)
Pay-Per-Click
Banner Ads Promoting Your Content (e.g., ebook, Partner Emails Promoting Your Content 40%
webinar) 68%
25%
2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing (e.g., ebook, webinar) Other 0 20 40 60 80 90
Institute/MarketingProfs
19%
Base: B2C content marketers whose organization used at least one paid distribution channel in the last 12 months.
Aided list; multiple responses permitted.
25
B2C marketers use Facebook as their top social media platform, both for organic (nonpaid)
and paid content marketing distribution.
Respondents also selected Facebook as both the organic and paid social media platform that generates the best
content marketing results for their organization.
Organic Social Media Platforms Paid Social Media Platforms

B2C Content Marketers Used in Last 12 Months TOP B2C Content Marketers Used in Last 12 Months TOP
RATED RATED
96% Instagram LinkedIn Other paid months: Pinterest (6%); Snapchat

(3%); Medium (1%); Reddit (1%);
social Quora (1%);
Facebook
74% 71% 62% 61% YouTube
LinkedIn
Instagram Twitter Other organic
social used in
95% last 12 months: Pinterest (29%);
Snapchat (7%);
Quora (6%); Medium
Facebook
29% 16% YouTube Twitter
53% 29%
used in last 12
and Other (5%). Base: B2C content marketers whose organization used
organic social media to distribute content in the last 12 months. Aided list;
multiple responses permitted.
(3%); Reddit (3%); and Other (6%). Base: B2C content marketers whose organization used paid social media to
distribute content in the last 12 months. Aided list; multiple responses
permitted.
26
METRICS & GOALS
27
METRICS & GOALS
More than three-fourths (78%) of B2C marketers use metrics to measure content
performance; of these, 63% have established KPIs and 51% measure content marketing
ROI.
Did Your B2C

Does Your B2C Organization Organization Establish KPIs to Does Your B2C Organization
Use Metrics to Measure Measure Content Marketing Measure Content Marketing
Content Performance? Initiatives in the Last 12 ROI?
Months?
6%
13%
10%
16% 78% ■
No 27% 63% ■
No 36% 51% ■
No
■
Yes
■
Unsure ■
Yes ■
Unsure ■
Yes
■
Unsure
Base: B2C content marketers. Base: B2C content marketers whose organization uses Base: B2C content marketers whose organization uses
2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content metrics to measure content performance. 2020 B2C Content metrics to measure content performance. 2020 B2C Content
Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing
Institute/MarketingProfs Institute/MarketingProfs
28
METRICS & GOALS
The top metrics B2C marketers track to measure content performance are conversions
(81%), website traffic (80%), website engagement (79%), social media analytics (76%) and
email engagement (75%).
Metrics B2C Marketers Tracked to Email Subscriber Numbers

(e.g., growth, unsubscribes)
Measure Content Performance in
Search Rankings
Last 12 Months (Top 7)
79%
Conversions (e.g., traffic to
subscribers, leads to sales) 76%
Website Traffic
(e.g., page views, backlinks) 75%
59%
59%
Coverage (36%); Customer Satisfaction
81% 80%
Metrics (29%); Customer Retention Rates
Other metrics tracked in last 12 (24%); Marketing Qualified Lead Metrics
months: Cost of a Lead, Subscribers, (e.g., MQLs, SQLs)
and/or Customer/ Customer Acquisition (15%); Sales Effectiveness (e.g., sales cycle
Cost (CAC) (44%); Mobile Analytics (e.g., time, sales team performance) (15%);
traffic, time spent, conversions) (44%); PR Lifetime
Mentions/Media
Website Engagement (e.g., time spent, bounce rate, form
completions)
Social Media Analytics (e.g., shares, followers, views, likes)
Email Engagement
(e.g., opens, clicks, downloads)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Customer Value (13%); and
Other (6%). Base: B2C content marketers whose organization uses metrics to measure content performance. Aided list; multiple responses permitted. 2020 B2C Content Marketing
Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
29
METRICS & GOALS
Among the B2C marketers who measure content marketing ROI, more than half (56%)
rate their ability to demonstrate ROI as excellent or very good.
B2C Marketers’ Ability to Demonstrate ■

Very Good
EXCELLENT
ROI for Content Marketing Initiatives We have measurement data showing ROI on overall content marketing
approach
1% 1%
7% VERY GOOD
10%
We have measurement data showing ROI on at least one content marketing
■
Excellent
initiative with well-informed insights in other areas
35% AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

■
Below Average ■ Poor We have well-informed insights, but We only have speculative insights at
46% lack measurement data showing ROI
■
Average
■
Too Soon to Tell
this point POOR
Base: B2C content marketers whose organization uses metrics and whose team measured ROI of overall content 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
marketing initiatives in the last 12 months. Aided list.
We have little insight into what works and what doesn’t
30
METRICS & GOALS
84% of B2C marketers have used content marketing successfully in the last 12 months to
create brand awareness.
Goals B2C Marketers Have Achieved by Using

Content Marketing Successfully in Last 12 Months
Create brand awareness 65%

Educate audience(s) 61%
Build credibility/trust 55%
Generate demand/leads
51%
Build loyalty with existing clients/customers Support the launch of a new product
49%
Nurture subscribers/audiences/leads 48%
Generate sales/revenue 38%
Build a subscribed audience
36%
Drive attendance to one or more in-person events None of the above
1%
84%
0 20 40 60 80 100
75%
Base: B2C content marketers. Aided list; multiple responses permitted. 2020 B2C
Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
31
BUDGET & PRIORITIES
32
BUDGET & PRIORITIES
35% of B2C marketers reported a 2019 annual content marketing budget of $100,000 or more.
Another 31% reported it was less than $100,000. The average annual budget reported among
all respondents was $230,000.
2019 Annual Budget for

B2C Content Marketing (Average)
(All Respondents) (Average) (By Company Size)
■
Less than $100,000
■
$100,000 to under $500,000
100+ Employees
2019 Annual Budget for B2C Content Marketing $337,000
23% $500,000 to under $750,000 ■ All Respondents 1-99 Employees 3% $111,000

■
$230,000
31% $750,000 to under $1,000,000
11% 7% 19%
■
There is no content marketing budget
3% 0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000
6%
■
$1,000,000 or more ■ Unsure
Note: Marketers who reported their organization has no content marketing budget were not asked to specify if the expenditures come from a general marketing or other fund. The survey did not specify whether to
include content marketing salaries, nor did it ask respondents to break out areas of content marketing spend.
Base: B2C content marketers. Aided list.

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, North America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
33
BUDGET & PRIORITIES
59% of B2C marketers expect their 2020 content marketing budget to be higher than
it was in 2019.
B2C Marketers’ Expected
Change in 2020 Content Marketing
Budget Compared With 2019
14% 17% Increase 1% to 9% ■ Increase More than 9% ■

■
4% Stay the Same

■
Decrease
■
Unsure
23% 42%
Base: B2C content marketers who reported having an annual budget for content marketing in
2019. 2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs
34
BUDGET & PRIORITIES
Half of B2C marketers anticipate improving the quality/conversion of their audiences and
focusing on content quality/quantity in 2020.
Top 3 Anticipated B2C Content Marketing
Priorities in 2020
Improve quality/conversion of audience(s) Focus on content quality/quantity 40%

Increase the size of our audience(s) 37%
Improve content marketing measurement Improve content 37%
distribution/promotion Know our audience(s) better 32%
Segment/capture better data from audience(s) None of the above 30%
50% 1%
50% 0 20 40 60
Note: The survey asked respondents to select the top three content marketing activities they thought their organization might
prioritize in 2020. It did not ask respondents to rate their organization’s current success with any of the activities shown on the
aided list. Therefore, use caution if making assumptions about current challenges organizations may be facing in any of the
areas listed.
Base: B2C content marketers. Aided list; a maximum of three responses permitted.
35
METHODOLOGY
B2C Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends was produced by Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs.
The CMI/MarketingProfs 10th annual content marketing survey, from which the results of this report were generated, was emailed to a sample of marketers using
lists from Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs. Online survey hosting, data collection and tabulation was provided by Readex Research.
A total of 1,798 recipients from around the globe—representing a full range of industries, functional areas, and company sizes—replied to the survey during
June/July 2019. More than 250 respondents (256) indicated their organization is a for-profit company, primarily selling products/services to companies (B2C).
This report presents the findings from the 179 B2C respondents who indicated a) their organization has used content marketing for at least one year and b) they
are a content marketer, involved with the content marketing function, and/or someone to whom content marketing reports.
Find our archive of past reports at contentmarketinginstitute.com/research.
Geographic Location of B2C

Company
18%
B2C Industry Classification
11%
Size of B2C Company
(by Employees)B2C Content

Marketing Job Title/Function
15%
3%
29% 30%
2% 5% 11% 11% 30% 5% 8%
3%
64% 29%
8% ■ United States ■ Retail/Ecommerce ■ Micro (Fewer than 10 Employees) ■ Content Creation/Content Management
5% 10%
5% 16%
23%
5%
7% 21% 20%
6%
■ Canada
■ India
■ Australia
■ United Kingdom ■ Other
■ Agency (Content Marketing, Advertising, Digital, PR)
■ Financial Services
■ Education
■ Technology/IT/Software/Hardware ■ Professional
Services
■ Manufacturing
■ Healthcare/Med/Pharma/Life Sciences ■
Travel/Tourism/Hospitality
■ Other
■ Small (10-99 Employees) ■ Medium (100-999
Employees) ■ Large (1,000+ Employees)
■ Marketing Management
■ Corporate/Executive Management ■
Advertising/PR/Comm Management ■ Marketing
Operations
■ General Management
■ Other
36
ABOUT
Thanks to all the survey participants who made this research possible and to everyone who helps
disseminate these findings throughout the content marketing industry.
About Content Marketing Institute

Content Marketing Institute (CMI) is the leading global content marketing education and training organization, teaching
enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling, multichannel storytelling. CMI’s Content
Marketing World event, the largest content marketing-focused event, is held every fall in Cleveland, Ohio, and ContentTECH
Summit event is held every spring in San Diego, California. CMI publishes Chief Content Officer for executives and provides
strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the best-known brands in the world. Content Marketing
Institute is organized by Informa Tech. To learn more: ContentMarketingInstitute.com.
About MarketingProfs
MarketingProfs is a training and education company dedicated to helping large organizations, small teams, and individuals
execute marketing campaigns that drive real results. MarketingProfs produces training programs, online events and
conferences, including the MarketingProfs B2B Forum. More than 600,000 marketers globally trust MarketingProfs as their top
marketing resource.
37

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CONTENT MARKETING

TABLE OF CONTENTS SUCCESS &

WELCOME............................................................................... STRATEGY, OPINIONS &

.3 m KEY TECHNOLOGY....................................9 m TEAM STRUCTURE

FINDINGS .........................................................................4 m & OUTSOURCING.....................................13 m CONTENT

Content Marketing: A strategic marketing approach focused on

Success: Achieving your organization’s desired/ targeted results.

PRIORITIES .........................................................32 m NOTE

W elcome to B2C Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks,

Lisa Murton Beets

Differences Between B2C Marketers by Organization’s Content Marketing Maturity Level

Organization is extremely/very successful with content marketing 29% 52%

Has a documented content marketing strategy 33% 53%

Uses metrics to measure content performance 78% 93%

Base: B2C content marketers.

SUCCESS & MATURITY

How B2C Marketers Rate Their Organization’s 1%

defined success as achieving your organization’s desired/targeted results.

Percentage of B2C Marketers

months ■ No, with no plans

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

B2C Marketers’ Opinions About Content Marketing in Their

Our audience views our organization as 81%

Our organization values creativity and 78%

Our organization provides customers with optimal experiences across their

Base: B2C content marketers who answered each statement.

Technologies B2C Organizations 84% System (CMS)

Use to Assist With Content 83% 51%

Each brand/product/department has its own content marketing team 7% 7% 7%

Both—We have a centralized group and individual teams 20% 6% 31%

We have a small (or one-person) marketing/content marketing 50% 69% 35%

Base: B2C content marketers; aided list.

2-5 42% 39% 44%

1 21% 25% 18%

0 (no one is full-time, 27% 33% 23%

Base: B2C content marketers; aided list.

Yes 55% 43% 65%

No 45% 57% 35%

Base: B2C content marketers.

(80%). Content Marketing Activities B2C Organizations Outsource

Concepts B2C Marketers Always/Frequently Take Into Account

Fact check our content to ensure accuracy 50%

Craft content based on specific stages of the customer journey 0 20 40 60 80 100

86% Base: B2C content marketers who answered each concept.

Number of Different Audiences

41% 6+ ■ 4-5 ■ 2-3 ■ 1

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

Percentage of Total Content B2C Marketers

3,000+ words) (28%); Webinars/Online 50%

Organic Content Distribution Channels B2C Marketers

Social Media Platforms 85%

Did Your B2C Organization Use Any

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

Organic Social Media Platforms Paid Social Media Platforms

96% Instagram LinkedIn Other paid months: Pinterest (6%); Snapchat

2020 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

METRICS & GOALS

Did Your B2C

Metrics B2C Marketers Tracked to Email Subscriber Numbers

Social Media Analytics (e.g., shares, followers, views, likes)

B2C Marketers’ Ability to Demonstrate ■

35% AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

Goals B2C Marketers Have Achieved by Using

Create brand awareness 65%